Focaccia with Eggplant

17/11/2023

Focaccia with eggplant is a tasty and simple dish to prepare that combines the goodness of traditional focaccia with the Mediterranean flavor of eggplants.

Ingredients

500 g of type 0 or type 1 flour
300 ml of lukewarm water
15 g of fresh yeast or 5 g of dry yeast
10 g of salt
30 ml of extra-virgin olive oil, and a bit more for seasoning
2 medium eggplants
Coarse salt to taste
Dried or fresh oregano to taste
Garlic powder (optional)
Black pepper (optional)

Preparazione

Start by preparing the focaccia dough. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and pour the mixture into a large bowl along with the sifted flour. Mix with a fork or with your hands until you have a homogeneous mixture.
Add the salt and knead vigorously for at least 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Then add the extra-virgin olive oil and continue to knead to incorporate it well.
Form a ball with the dough, place it in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place away from drafts for about 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
In the meantime, wash the eggplants and cut them into slices about 5 mm thick. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, sprinkle them with coarse salt and let them purge for at least 30 minutes to remove the bitterness.
Rinse the eggplants to remove the excess salt and dry them by patting with kitchen paper.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Take the risen dough and spread it on an oiled baking tray, trying to give it a rectangular or round shape depending on the tray you have, leaving a uniform thickness of about 1.5 - 2 cm.
Arrange the eggplant slices on the surface of the focaccia, add a drizzle of oil, oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper to taste.
Bake the focaccia for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden to your liking.

Curiosity

Focaccia with eggplant is a variant of the classic Genoese focaccia and represents a wonderful fusion between the flavors of Italian baking and the typical ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. In some variations, it is also possible to add tomato, mozzarella, or other cheeses for a richer version.